Controversial plans for a new industrial park on the outskirts of Telford must be brought before a full planning committee to ensure objectors can voice their concerns first-hand, a councillor has said.

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Telford & Wrekin Councillor Stephen Bentley

The proposals by Telford & Wrekin Council and Homes England would see a development of up to 80,000 sq.m built on land north and east of Shawbirch roundabout.

Telford & Wrekin Councillor Stephen Bentley, who represents the Edgmond and Ercall Magna ward, has called the plans 'ill conceived'.

He said: "As the ward councillor, I have already submitted the necessary documentation to ensure that this ill conceived application is determined at a full and public meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council’s planning committee.

“It is vital that residents and councillors from near and far have the opportunity to voice their real and justified opposition to these ridiculous and ill conceived proposals.

“There is no doubt in my mind at all that should this facility get the go ahead and be built in open countryside at Shawbirch, a severe impact will be felt not only around Shawbirch and Apley, but also Wellington and its surrounding areas.

“Along with hundreds of extra cars from the new housing development due to be built opposite, which will mix with many heavy goods vehicles from a huge industrial complex, how on earth are we to access our hospital quickly or even get onto the motorway at various times of the day?”

He claims the environmental impact on residents will also be 'severe', adding: "This is one of the main gate-way routes to Telford, surely they cannot hand-on-heart believe that this application will, in any way, benefit Telford and the entire area.

“We have to do all that we can to ensure that the planning committee of the council listens to local people for once.

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"We must demand that this application is refused. We will enlist the help of all agencies to achieve this."

The scheme would be used for offices, research and development, industrial use, storage and distribution, but there have been hundreds of objections online.

The council says it, together with the land owner Homes England, had submitted a joint outline planning application for land at Shawbirch which is allocated for employment use within the adopted Telford and Wrekin Local Plan.

Those behind the scheme say it will provide a significant economic boost to the local area, linking in with other strategic sites along the A442.

Objectors have complained that the impact of lorries and loss of green space around their homes would cause ‘irrecoverable damage’ to the area.